Improvement in amalgamating peecious metals



J. B. BEERS.

Ore Amalgamtor. y No. 67,842. Patented Aug. 20,1861

Witnesses:

i Inventorz AM. PHQTU-LITHKLCU. N.Y.(0SHORNE'S PROCESSJ @einen giedre atnt @fitta JOHN B. BEERS, OF SAN FRANCISCO, -ALIFRNIA. Leiters' Param No. 67,842, datc'aaagae 20,' 1867,

IMPROVEMENT IN AMALGAMATING PRECIOUS META-LS.

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TO A'LL WI-IOM IT MAY CONGERN:

Be it known that I, JOHN B. Banus, of the eityof San Francisco, San Francisco county. State of California, have invented a new and improved Wire-Gauze Amalgamator; `and I do hereby declare the following description and accompanying drawings are suilicient to enable any `person ,skilled in the art or science to which it most nearly appertains to make and use my said inventicuwithout.further invention er experiment.

The nature of my invention is to provide an amalgamator, lso eonstructedthatvthe particles of gold will be prevented from being carried away before the mercury has taken it up and amalgamated it.

p In order to accomplish this object I `employ wire-gauze screen, wire cloth, punched, raised, or corrugated copper plates, either amalgamated with mercury, or otherwise, in connection withV any ot' the ordinary devices for the saving of gold or silver.` In order to more fully illustrate myiin'vention, referencev is had toV the accompanying drawings'and letters markell thereon, in which- Figure 1 represents a plan ot' a .sluice or amalgumatingstable with my invention attached.

Figure 2, a longitudinal section.

Similar letters indicate like parts in each of'the figures.

A is a table or sluiee, with the wire gauze B und Il attached, B being placedslightly above the longer strip I3. A corrugated plate, C, is placed transversely across the sluiee between .the pieces, which forms a rilie at the head ot' the screen or gauze B. If thegauze is intended for 'amalgamation it'should be made of copper, so that the mercury, while it readily unites with it, will not destroy it. I prefer making the meshes from about one-sixtieth to f'enr sixtieths of an inch square, depending much upon the fineness of the particles of gold and the quantity allowed to accumulate upon `its surface'.

My invention will be found very useful as-a lining for sluices in` placer, cement, and quartz mining, and

will he eiiicient in riile-hoxes, shaking-tables, longtoms, rockers., cencentrators7 the batteries of quartz and anriferous cement-mills, and the covering ot' the aprons or Vplatforms in front of such batteries, either as a substitute for the copper-amalgamated plates now in use or inconnect-ion therewith.

It' simply to be used as covering for copper plates, to enable their amalgauiat-ed-surfaces more eifectually to retain the gold, iron-wire screens would answer.

In Aapplying my invention to quartz mining or cement-mills, I linethe batteries withthe amalgamated copper-wire gauze, of coarse ormedium quality, I wind the stump'or stem of each stamp with the same material,

with a strip of cloth underneath. I place it on a platform in front ot' the battery, either. with cloth or copper plates underlying. I line the sluiees from `such batteries with a' short amalgamated section ot' the'same, and over which I place a shower if the inclination is not suiicient` to keep itfree from the lodgment of sand and sulphurets.

In' applying my invention to hydraulic or placer mining, I line short sections of the sluices with the amalganiated copper-screen wire, underlying it usuallywith canvas cloth, and' protecting the wire surface from' Contact with large boulders, or very coarsematerial or debris that might injure it,l in passing ove1,4by rooting it over with a punched slieetliron screen, grate-bars, or other` device.

For lining a riille-hox it is far superior to a body of mergury conta-ined therein, zasthe amalgamated screen,

when placed upon canvas cloth, and set at a sumcieut incline llt-o keepitfreefrcm sand, will catch and retain all the gold. lt the end of each section et this amalgamated wire Iusually placca small ritlie or reservoir that will retainv any surplus mercury that might escape therefrom. i p y l i v What I claim as myviuvention and improvement in amalgamators for amalgamating the precious metals, is- 'Ihe usevof 'amalgam-ated woven-wire gauze lcr ainalgamated perforated sheet metal. I also claim, in 4combination with amalgamated wire gauze or perforated sheet meta-l, the canvas or-cloth arranged under the' wire gauze or perforated metal. i

I also claim, in combination with thc amaigainatcd wiregauze or perforated metal, the use of corrugated amalgamated sheetmetalplates, either with or without the canvasor cloth'.

' I also claim, in combination with amaigamated plates, the use of iron-wire gauze or screens arranged on or above the plates, substantially as described for thepurpose set forth.

` In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal.

J.- JB. BEERS. (L. s.) Witnesses i C. W: Mi SMITH, Guo; Sanoma. 

